Silver cleaning device



April 25, 195 0 '5, CHASE 2,505,228

SILVER CLEANING DEVICE Filed Aug. 18, 1947 y, I v/ 1 Iv! v I 1/ Er]! A I! Burfon L. Chase INVENTOR- ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SILVER CLEANING DEVICE Burton L. Chase, Dallas, Tex.

Application August 18, 1947, Serial No. 769.179

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to devices for removing tarnish from silver and more particularly to a device for cleaning silverware electrolytically.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a silver cleaning device consisting of a pair of parallel metallic plates separated by an insulating medium which closes the space between them to preclude the likelihood of short-circuiting by articles to be cleaned. By virtue of suitable electrode leads attached to the plates, current may be supplied to the plates whil the device is submerged in a suitable electrolytic solution contained in a vessel. In this manner, tarnish may be removed from silverware without sacrificing the silver plate which usually occurs when abrasiv or scouring agents are employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device especially useful to housewives for cleaning silverware since the device operates on low voltage and may be used with an electrolyte consisting of soapy water or other simple home prepared composition of suitable nature.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as 1 the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 .is a side elevational view partly in section showing the silver cleaning device submerged in an electrolytic solution, and

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral denotes a fiat metal bottom plate separated from a top plate I I by an insulator 12, the latter completely enclosing the space between the plates in order to exclude small articles such as spoons l3, knives, forks and the like to prevent short circuiting the plates 10 and II.

It is obvious that the plates l0 and II can be of any desired size and shape and in order that the space between the plates may fill with electrolytic solution in which the device is submerged, a series of small apertures [4 are provided in the top plate ll.

Attached to the plate In is an electrode lead consisting of a stationary lower section l5, to which is hinged at It, an upper section l1. Similarly, a stationary lead a is afiixed to plate H to which is attached, by means of hinge 16a, an upper section Ila. For convenience in handling, these electrode leads are made in section so that the upper sections thereof may be folded into parallelism with the top plate H, as shown in 2 Figure 1. The device is made more compact through the collapsibility of the electrode leads permitting the same to be conveniently packaged for shipping and storage.

To remove tarnish from silver, a suitable electrolytic solution I8 is placed in a vessel I9 and the described device is submerged in the solution, as shown in Figure 2. A wire 20 is attached to each of the electrode leads I! by suitable clamps, not shown. Voltage is reduced in the wires 20 by a transformer 2| to remove any possible hazard and the articles to be cleaned are placed on the top plate H in the solution l8. After current is turned on, it requires but a very short time to remove the tarnish from the submerged articles.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claim is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a device for removing tarnish from silverware, the combination comprising a vessel containing an electrolytic solution, a pair of rela tively parallel, horizontal, disc electrodes submerged in the electrolytic solution in said vessel, the upper of said electrodes is perforated and adapted to support said silverware, an annular spacing member of insulating material interposed between said electrodes adjacent the perimeter thereof to preclude entrance therebetween of articles of silverware, an electrode lead in hinged sections attached to each of said electrodes and adapted to be folded inoperatively onto the said upper electrode, and means for circulating low voltage electrical current through said electrodes and said electrolytic solution.

BURTON L. CHASE REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 564,877 Flower July 28, 1896v 741,690 Moller Oct. 20, 1903 1,068,388 Hotchkiss July 22, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 528,006 France Aug, 6, 1921 

